SEN-17-90, Coordination of Global Climate Change Activities

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary of Energy Washington, D.C. NOTICE SEN-17-90 DATE: 2-20-90 SUBJECT: COORDINATION OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVITIES An important task facing this Administration is understanding the causes, impacts, and possible policy and technology responses to global climate change. An intense effort to study this issue is underway by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), under the joint auspices of the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization. President Bush has strongly endorsed the efforts of the IPCC and has stated that he expects its work will lead to formal negotiations on an international framework convention on global climate change. The United States hosted a workshop of the IPCC's Response Strategies Working Group in October which examined the legal, technical, economic, financial, and educational issues associated with implementing an international response to global climate change. As the Department responsible for developing the National Energy Strategy and for promoting energy supply and end use options for the future, the Department of Energy (DOE) will play a major role in developing and implementing energy responses to potential climate change. Energy production and use contributes approximately 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuels account for 80 percent of emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas. Defining possible energy responses to potential climate change will require intensive efforts from all Departmental Elements. Programs involved in this initiative include scientific research, technology development, economic and policy analysis, and international cooperation. Since activities and capabilities to address global climate change are spread across several Departmental Elements, I have determined that these efforts must be centrally coordinated to ensure an effective DOE response. I am therefore assigning responsibility for developing global climate change policy and for coordinating overall climate change activities jointly to the Office of International Affairs and Energy Emergencies (IE) and the Office of Policy, Planning and Analysis (PE). In addition, I have directed the transfer of the Office of Environmental Analysis with Its present functions from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health (EH) to PE. The Office of Energy Research (ER) will continue to develop and implement the global climate change research program in accordance with DOE policy. Responsibilities will be divided such that PE will take the lead on all policy development and IE will take the lead in the representation and negotiation of that policy both internationally and in supporting Federal agency meetings. Each office will concur on important aspects of the activities of the other. Should IE commitments arise and prevent the Assistant Secretary from representing DOE, then DOE shall be represented by either the Director of PE or my Chief of Staff. Specifically, IE will: o Coordinate and manage DOE participation in international climate change activities, particularly the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the supporting Federal agency meetings.

o Manage DOE participation in negotiations on a global climate change framework convention. This effort would be conducted in close coordination with PE and DOE's program offices. o Monitor and keep PE apprised of the global climate change policies of other countries and of intergovernmental and international events requiring DOE participation. o Represent the Department on the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) Working Group on Global Climate and in meetings of the IPCC and its working groups. o Ensure that global climate change policy and concerns are reflected in DOE's bilateral agreements and consultations with other countries. PE will: o Develop DOE's workplan on global climate change policy. This effort would be conducted in close coordination with IE and DOE's program offices. o Assess technology developments relevant to climate change. o Analyze the natural resource, social, energy, and economic impacts of possible responses to global climate change. o Serve as the clearing house for receipt, DOE reviews, and distribution of studies and information on global climate change, excluding the standard distribution of DOE-sponsored research results. o Participate in interagency task forces and working groups dealing with impact assessments and policy options development concerning global climate change issues. o Serve as the executive secretary for DOE's intradepartmental meetings on climate change; coordinating the preparation of agendas, issue papers, presentations, and reports for review by these groups. ER will continue to: o Plan, develop, and manage a global climate change research program in accordance with DOE policy. o Represent DOE on the Committee on Earth Sciences. o In coordination with PE and IE, participate in intra-agency, intergovernmental, and international activities of interest to the global climate change research program. Effective coordination of global climate change activities in DOE also requires: o The establishment in DOE of a Global Climate Change Executive Committee. This Committee will be co-chaired by IE and PE and be composed of the Heads of Headquarters Elements with a functional interest in global climate change activities and a representative of the Office of the Secretary. The Executive Committee will assist PE in developing DOE global climate change policy, in performing tasks relevant to DOE programs, and in preparing DOE reports and policy positions for use in interagency and international meetings. The Executive Committee will also serve to coordinate climate related workplans of Headquarters Elements. o That the Global Climate Change Executive Committee have a Steering Group chaired by the Secretary's Chief of Staff and composed of the heads of IE and PE. The Steering Group will resolve fast-moving issues arising in interagency meetings and will decide when full meetings of the Executive Committee are required. Additional actions will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead detailing organizational structure, operational procedures, and means for coordinating overall DOE climate change activities. Your participation in, and support of, global climate change activities is essential in helping the Administration achieve the domestic and international objectives necessary to develop an effective response to the global climate change issue. James D. Watkins Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)